Abstract: A process for making inorganic gels by reaction of tetraalkoxy orthosilicates, tetraalkoxy titanates and tetraalkoxy zirconates with strong carboxylic acids. Water need not be present initially as a reactant. Optically clear, very small pore size, narrow pore size distribution, and high specific area inorganic gels useful for abrasion-resistant coatings, optical applications, catalyst or enzyme support, gas separation, or chromatography packing are thus produced.

Abstract: A process for nitric oxide (NO.sub.x) emissions reduction and post combustion gases at power plants and industrial boilers. The process deactivates nitrogen gaseous atoms which react with the nitric oxide to form N.sub.2 +O(.sup.3 P). The process reduces the NO which is nitric oxide. The oxygen atom by itself reacts with carbon monoxide (CO) to become carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2). The N.sub.2 nitrogen atom simply becomes part of air. Therefore, the process reduces not only the nitric oxide, but also carbon monoxide.

Abstract: A process for the destruction of a halocarbon, which process comprises reacting the halocarbon with molten sodium at an elevated temperature to produce the corresponding sodium halide or halides in a sludge in the molten sodium and separating the sludge from the molten sodium.

Abstract: Scavenger compositions useful for purifying process gas streams, such as process gas streams, such as hydrogen, nitrogen, noble gases, diborane, and hydride gases from Groups IVA-VIA of the Periodic Table, such as arsine, phosphine, silane, germane, hydrogen selenide, and hydrogen telluride, and mixtures thereof, to remove water, oxygen, and other oxidant and Lewis acid impurities therefrom, such scavenger comprising a porous, high surface area inert support having thereon an active scavenging species, formed by the deposition on the support of a Group IA metal and pyrolysis thereof at a selected elevated temperature on said support.

Abstract: The present invention provides a number of inhibiting agents that are useful to reduce aldol condensation in diethanolamine scrubbers. Suitable inhibiting agents include: hydrogen peroxide; hydroperoxides; nitroalkanes; salts of hypochlorous acid; alkyl substituted aldehyde oximes; trialkyl phosphites; isothiuronium salts; 2-mercaptoethanol (C.sub.2 H.sub.6 OS); and, benzoic hydrazide. A preferred inhibiting agent for diethanolamine scrubbers is an excess of hydrogen peroxide.

Abstract: Environmental release of carcinogenic polychlorinated dibenzo-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzo-furan compounds that typically result from combustion of materials containing chlorine or hydrochloric acid-generating components is minimized by preferential sorption of the precursor reactants on sorbents added to exhaust gas at high temperatures containing such precursors prior to conversion of the precursors to carcinogenic compounds normally occurring as the exhaust gas is cooled.

Abstract: Amorphous sodium silicate powder exhibiting excellent water softening power and suitable as a detergent builder is provided. This amorphous sodium silicate powder is characterized in that when the molar ratio of SiO.sub.2 /Na.sub.2 O is expressed by n and the specific surface area thereof is expressed by S(m.sup.2 /g), the following expressions:1.20.ltoreq.n.ltoreq.1.600.10.ltoreq.S.ltoreq.0.90and0.008.times.n.sup.8.6 .ltoreq.S.ltoreq.0.063.times.n.sup.8.1are satisfied.